May 29, 2015 Chicago Sun-Times Cubs and White Sox both predicted to draft Vanderbilt pitchers By Blair Sheade In the upcoming MLB Draft, the White Sox and Cubs pick back-to-back. The South side holds the No. 8 pick, while the North side picks ninth. According to one prediction, the Cubs and Sox may have something in common with their picks. They are both predicted to select pitchers from Vanderbilt University. David Rawnsley, former assistant scouting director for the Houston Astros and a national baseball writer with Baseball America, predicted the first-round selections for the 2015 MLB Draft. Rawnsley thinks the White Sox will select the Vanderbilt ace Carson Fulmer. The 6-foot, 195-pound right-hander was 11-2 with a 1.97 ERA and 136 strike outs this season. Fulmer would go higher if not for his delivery and the effort he uses in throwing the ball. Many teams think he is bound for the bullpen, a role he held at Vanderbilt for a time and in which he was dominant. But he has a pristine health record, nasty stuff and no history of command issues. The White Sox have a history of selecting pitchers with mechanics the rest of the industry questions, including perennial AL Cy Young candidate Chris Sale and their top pitching prospect, Tyler Danish. Rawnsley determines the Cubs need more pitching help, and the next best pitcher available in this draft is Fulmer’s teammate Walker Buehler. The 6-foot-1, 170-pound right-hander was 3-2 with a 3.18 ERA and 74 strikeouts. Fulmer’s Vanderbilt teammate also has a knock that concerns much of the industry: his narrow build. But just like Fulmer, Buehler has three pitches, all of which can be plus-pitches at different times, and a long track record of durability and success. The Cubs are in the mode to collect pitchers, and Buehler is a good one for them. White Sox and Cubs fans will have to wait until June 8 to find out who their teams actually pick. -- Chicago Sun-Times Here's the catch for the Cubs: They don't do it well By Gordon Wittenmyer Is it time for the Cubs to see if Javy Baez can help this club catch the ball more often?

Two more errors by shortstop Starlin Castro and a costly one by second baseman Addison Russell in Wednesday night’s 3-0 loss to the Washington Nationals boosted the Cubs’ lofty season error total to 39 – second in the NL to Milwaukee. And raised again the questions of whether an infield shuffle is called for – maybe including the promotion from Class AAA of middle infielder Baez, whom multiple evaluators call the Cubs’ best defensive shortstop in the organization. Jason McLeod, the Cubs’ top player development executive, said Tuesday there are no immediate plans to promote Baez – a move that likely would start with shifting top hitting rookie Kris Bryant to the outfield. “He’s had to deal with a lot in the off-season at the professional level and certainly at the personal level with his family,” McLeod said, referring in part to Baez’ lengthy leave in April after the sudden death of his younger sister. “He’s just in a good place right now [including hitting well]. … All we’re concerned about right now is him maintaining this. “Certainly, he’s someone who wants to come up here and help the team win. And Joe [Maddon], Theo [Epstein] – we’re all looking at that every single day. And those are conversations that take place internally.” With no move looking imminent as the Cubs enjoyed an off day Thursday, their fielding issues were a study in sharp contrast to a Kansas City Royals team they’ll see this weekend that fields three Gold Glove winners and played in the World Series seven months ago. Despite the impact the spotty fielding is having on results for a team that has played a disproportionate number of close games, Cubs manager Maddon downplayed potential concern over the errors, in particular the recent glut on routine plays by Castro. “The last play [Wednesday] night I don’t know if that was a product of his last at-bat or not,” said Maddon, referring to Castro’s muff of a ninth-inning grounder straight to him a half-inning after he stranded two runners with an inning-ending groundout. “He’s done a lot of good things,” Maddon said. “I would say the problem mostly with him has been the routine play more than anything else.” Castro, who has eight errors this month after committing just three in April, is second only to Washington’s Ian Desmond (13) at his position in the National League. “He’s had a couple mistakes, I don’t disagree,” Maddon said. “But for the most part I’ve been fine with him at shortstop.” The fielding on the infield has been an issue overall recently. Since a streak of eight errorless games earlier this month, the Cubs have committed 12 in their last nine – five by Castro and three each by rookies Russell and third baseman Kris Bryant. But it’s a been a season-long weakness that has the potential for derailing the ambitions of a young, talented team that is getting enough high performances from some starting pitchers and everyday hitters to otherwise think big heading into the summer months. While some teams score easily enough or pitch deep enough through their bullpen to overcome lapses in the field, the Cubs have not shown that kind of margin to work with. They lead the majors in one-run games played (going 13-10) and are tied for the National League leads in two-run (14-11) and three-run (19-16) games played.

That makes numbers like these even more damaging if the trends continue: 39 errors (one short of the NL lead), .978 fielding percentage (virtual tie for last in NL), an NL-worst 15 total fielding runs below the major league average (according to baseball-reference.com) and a below-average fielding efficiency (again: baseball-reference.com). Their 16 unearned runs allowed is no worse than average. But for a team with playoff aspirations? Of the 10 teams in playoff-berth position through Wednesday, only three (Washington, the Yankees and Detroit) were not better than average in that category. Not surprisingly the two worst teams in baseball, Milwaukee (23) and Oakland (30), both ranked among the bottom three in free runs. Maddon called it “a little bit of a youthful thing,” which might help explain Bryant and Russell – both of whom made their major league debuts within the last six weeks. And both of whom were on the field hours before batting practice Wednesday taking infield. Russell’s error Wednesday put him in the lead among NL second baseman with seven errors – in 14 fewer games this season than the next second baseman on the list (Cardinals’ Kolten Wong with six). Bryant (seven) is second to Pittsburgh’s Josh Harrison (eight) among NL third basemen. “We work on it constantly, man,” Maddon said. “It’s a lot of routine stuff. We have made a lot of really good plays on defense, and the one that seems to bite us is more the routine stuff. “That’s just repetition and technique. Just being fundamentally sound. We’re working on it always. … “We’ve just got to get better.” -- Daily Herald Miles: Cubs have plenty of brain power, too By Bruce Miles "Don't think. It can only hurt the ballclub" -- Crash Davis, "Bull Durham" That old baseball adage was around before Kevin Costner made it famous in one of the most realistic baseball movies of all time. The idea, if course, is that players should play and not think. The Cubs might beg to differ. During the past year, they've added some young players who bring some IQ as well as baseball ability. Pitcher Kyle Hendricks is an economics graduate from Ivy League school Dartmouth. Third baseman Kris Bryant is a product of the University of San Diego. Second baseman Addison Russell doesn't have the college pedigree, but he's proving to be a quick study as he has moved from shortstop to second base. "I think intelligence, and baseball intelligence specifically, goes a long way," said Cubs president Theo Epstein, no slouch himself in the smarts department. "If you can combine baseball intelligence with self-confidence -- not cockiness but innate self-confidence -- you can trust yourself to eventually figure it out.

"Even in the face of bad results, knowing that you trust yourself, you trust the process, you recognize how hard the game can be, you come back fresh the next at-bat, the next pitch, the next day, that's a great combination. I think a lot of our core players here have those attributes." Epstein likes to put first baseman Anthony Rizzo in this group, and, indeed, Rizzo has emerged as a leader among the younger players. Bryant, Russell and Hendricks all have displayed great polish on the field and in dealing with the media before and after games. "With the baseball stuff, there are always going to be guys coming up who impress you in that way," said Hendricks, who made his major-league debut last July. "But I think that X-factor there is just the type of guys they are. They're unbelievable dudes, unbelievable teammates. They work their butts off. They're modest. Having that much talent and to be that modest is pretty tough, I'm sure. "Those are definitely the better attributes we like around here." Hendricks is an interesting study. He's a right-hander who does not have overpowering stuff. Finesse left-handers seem to have more success pitching than do righties, and Hendricks needs to have good command to succeed. After coming up from Class AAA Iowa, he went 7-2 with a 2.46 ERA in 13 big-league starts to finish the 2014 season. He held his rotation spot out of spring training but put up an ERA of 5.23 in April. A couple of adjustments later, his last 2 starts were a 7-inning, 1-run performance this week against the Nationals and a complete-game shutout May 21 at San Diego. Having a good analytical mind has helped Hendricks figure some things out and make the necessary adjustments. "I think in this game, you have to be a mental player," he said. "Everybody's so good up at this level that what separates you is going to be the mental side of the game. If you can be strong mentally and make those adjustments quicker than the opponent, that's what it's all about." Of course, baseball has seen its share of smart players who have either overthought things or let their stubbornness get in the way of success. "You have to put your ego aside sometimes because you have your way and you have your routine and the way you want to do it, but sometimes you've got to step back," Hendricks said. "You've got to say, 'Hey, I need to change something.' Having the ability to do that and not being so stubborn and stuck in your ways is hard to do, but that's definitely what's needed to make those adjustments." Hendricks found that he had to do just that with pitching coach Chris Bosio after giving up 6 hits and 4 runs in 5 innings May 5 at St. Louis. "I definitely took a step back," he said. "It came down to executing pitches, yeah, but after the St. Louis game, I talked with Bos a lot, and we decided we had to simplify it. "We were trying mechanical things. We were trying to fix it all these other ways and nothing was working. So we finally said, 'Look, get back to the basics. See the glove. Hit the glove. And your body will figure out how to go from there.' Ever since that game, I've been feeling better and better." Cubs manager Joe Maddon is a progressive thinker who loves the mental side of the game. He likes what he has in his young players, both with their intelligence and character makeup. "I think it matters that they handle themselves so well, regardless of test scores," he said. "These guys, among the group, don't separate themselves. They fit in really well. They don't draw attention to themselves other than by playing well. I like that. The other guys really appreciate that, too.

"Beyond just being good baseball players, these guys are good guys. And they would fit in any clubhouse. That was obvious to me in spring training. "I'm getting to see it more now on a regular basis. It reveals a lot about people, the actual season does, especially when things aren't going well. So I'm really pleased with the way our guys are." -- Daily Herald Spiegel: A good baseball defense can be poetic By Matt Spiegel There's an aggressive, unified elegance to a good defensive baseball team. Watch a truly great one like the Kansas City Royals. They'll be at Wrigley this weekend for what should be a very fun series. On any batted ball, especially with a runner on base, every player is moving. Let's say it's a groundball to short with a man on second. The first baseman hustles back to the bag in advance of a throw. The right fielder is running into foul ground to back that up. The third baseman runs to his base in case there's a play on the lead runner. The second baseman creeps toward his bag to be ready if the runner gets too far away. The pitcher should be headed toward foul ground between third and the plate, to back up a possible throw to either base. The catcher has his mask off, ready to bark instructions and cover the plate should the runner round third hard. The center fielder and the left fielder ought to be making their way toward the infield to back up throws to second from different angles and be available in case a rundown develops. It's free-flowing team fundamentals in action. To some of us, it's poetry. You don't see this when you watch the White Sox. It's frustrating. There are a few good defensive individuals, but as a unit the concepts are lost. Infielders often don't get to the right spots to field cutoff throws, and sometimes they get overthrown or missed anyway. The baserunning is its own serious problem, albeit a connected one. This sloppy chaos can happen when you're dealing with a piecemeal, store-bought team full of strangers. It's a team of guys who learned in other systems, coached by various managers who may or may not have prioritized the basics. I understood and applauded what general manager Rick Hahn was aiming for in the off-season. He has tried a rolling rebuild of sorts, adding MLB-ready young and cheap secondary prospects to plug in around an ace and an elite slugger. But it hasn't worked. It hasn't worked because the offense has not produced to cover up the aforementioned flaws. The Sox are dead last in the American League in the following categories: runs, home runs, slugging percentage, stolen bases and SB percentage. They are second to last in OPS, doubles, and walks. They have 15 fewer extra-base hits than the second-worst team in that category. Jose Abreu is statistically the only Sox offensive player in the positives of the all-inclusive (though imperfect) Wins Above Replacement. If you trade for and/or sign a bunch of folks, they're supposed to produce some runs.

The Yankees, Red Sox, Phillies, and Dodgers have tried to do this. The Rangers and Phillies had their time. All those payrolls were larger, but the principle ends up being the same. If the new guys' bats don't produce, the rest of the inadequacies get magnified and .500 is a longshot. Maddon-ism: In our weekly conversation with Joe Maddon, he spoke of a recent lunch with the longtime NFL offensive coach Tom Moore. Maddon got excited hearing, and then telling us, about Moore's belief in the power of repetition and mental consistency. "He talked about breaking the other team's will through fundamentals and technique, and I absolutely loved him talking about that …. I gave it to our catchers the other day, and I want to start using it more …. I love simplicity … there's a more academic method to football coaching than there is to baseball, so getting that line from him the other day was outstanding." Breaking another man's and team's will is harder to measure in baseball than football, but the principle holds. If you do things systematically, compulsively better with consistency, then the other team will make the big mistake first. It ties into how a great defensive team lowers their risk of failure. Do simple better. -- Cubs.com With command comes success for Hendricks By Carrie Muskat CHICAGO -- Cubs right-hander Jason Hammel knows how confident he felt after his first career shutout. "I walked away from that, and I had a real big chest and was feeling really good about myself," said Hammel, whose only shutout came in his sixth season, on June 16, 2012, against the Braves. "It's what you work for. The starter wants to finish every time." Hammel has made 196 career starts. It took Kyle Hendricks 21 outings to get his first complete game and shutout, and yes, he was feeling pumped after that. Cubs youngsters Kris Bryant and Addison Russell have gotten most of the attention this year, but Hendricks is quietly asserting himself in the rotation. "That was the big thing about his shutout game in San Diego, it built up his confidence," Cubs catcher Miguel Montero said of the May 21 game, when Hendricks picked up his first win of the season. "He knows it's there. Coming into the game [against the Nationals on Tuesday], he feels confident, he feels good, he feels sexy, and it makes it a little bit easier." Hopefully, Hendricks is laughing at his catcher for calling him "sexy." The Cubs simply want the 25-year-old right-hander to continue to pitch as he has since that game against the Padres. Last season, Hendricks went 7-2 with a 2.46 ERA. This year, the Cubs won two of Hendricks' first four starts, but he didn't feel right. After a game against the Cardinals on May 5 when he gave up four runs on six hits over five innings, Hendricks decided it was time for a tune-up. "[Pitching coach Chris Bosio] and I sat down and said, 'Look we need to simplify everything,'" Hendricks said. "We were trying different things mechanically to figure out what was going on because I didn't have command of

anything. It didn't look terrible and I was still getting some outs, but for me, personally, I just knew I didn't know where it was going." That's not a good thing. "You can't have too much confidence when it's like that," Hendricks said. In his two starts after the session with Bosio, Hendricks felt a little better. "After the Pittsburgh game [on May 15], in one of those bullpens, it just clicked," Hendricks said. "I finally got that downhill [plane], working down the mound, not pulling off my front side as much, and everything just clicked. I finally got back down in the zone and saw the glove better. "It all fell in from there. 'Miggy' has been a huge part of it. He's always working with me. Even mechanics stuff, he'll point stuff out. It just started with trying to be simple." That's something manager Joe Maddon endorses. He nearly always wears a T-shirt emblazoned with the message, "Do Simple Better." "He's not a hard-throwing guy, and he really has to rely on his command," Montero said of Hendricks. "He has to be really on it and make his pitches, left and right, to go deep in the game and be successful. He understands that. Sometimes he probably overthinks too much, that he has to make pitches so badly, and that's when you make mistakes. "It's hard, especially for him, because he had a rough start [to the season], he was probably trying a little bit too hard," Montero said. "Now you can see with his body language on the mound, he's more calm. His mound presence tells you he feels good, and that means a lot." Shutting out a Major League team in your second pro season can certainly help one's confidence. Hendricks held the Padres to five hits, did not walk a batter and struck out seven at Petco Park. And he did so fairly efficiently, throwing 108 pitches. "There are times you're lacking confidence," Hendricks said. "When I don't have that command and know exactly where it's going, it's hard to have 100 percent confidence out there. You can't lie about that. Once I was able to put together that good game and show myself, 'OK, it's back. I have my command back; I can put it where I want it,' then confidence comes hand in hand with that." Hammel can relate. "To finish what you started is one thing," Hammel said. "To finish what you started in the big leagues against a good team, it makes you really realize you can do it. It's not easy to get outs in the big leagues, let alone all of them. For his age to be able to do that, it's impressive, and on the road, too." Hendricks did not throw a complete game in his next start, on Tuesday against the National League East-leading Nationals, but he did hold them to one run on four hits over seven innings. It was his third quality start of the season. His next start is on Monday against the Marlins. The focus on the Cubs this season has been on the 25-and-under infield of Anthony Rizzo, Russell, Starlin Castro and Bryant. Don't forget Hendricks. A Dartmouth graduate, he can discuss finance as easily as fastball command. Hammel will stick to baseball. "It's fun talking baseball with him because he gets pitching," said Hammel, 32. "He is the epitome of a pitcher. His stuff plays, it's not overpowering, but what he does with it makes him a dominant force.

"First of all, he locates; he works the bottom of the zone," Hammel said. "He changes speeds really, really well. He understands how to throw off a hitter's timing, which is pitching. He's able to do all that, and now he's starting to really click. Everybody runs through a bad patch. It's nice to see him running on all cylinders." At such a young age, too. -- ESPNChicago.com Slow progress for Chicago Cubs but progress nonetheless By Jesse Rogers CHICAGO -- It's a little bit of a gut-check time for the Chicago Cubs as they're squeezed between a St. Louis Cardinals team that keeps winning, despite an injury-plagued season, and the Pittsburgh Pirates, who are making a charge from third place. Meanwhile, the second-place Cubs will begin their toughest test to date as they'll take on the first-place Kansas City Royals this weekend and then begin a nine-game road trip. The off day on Thursday must have done them some good as early in the week manager Joe Maddon lamented the fact his team was starting games at five different times during the homestand, including Friday's 4:05 p.m. ET first pitch. If a team is going to look tired it usually shows up at the plate or perhaps with some sloppy defense. The Cubs scored a total of four runs in their series against the Washington Nationals this week while making four errors in three games. But they also flashed some leather, especially in their lone win on Tuesday, so even in some tough times the Cubs have found their way to a win or two and it's kept their collective heads above water. As for their offense, it's dried up as of late -- but it's hard to be overly critical. It bears reminding that this is hardly a fully formed, well-oiled machine at the plate. There are going to be growing pains. Right now, Joe Maddon can really rely only on Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo, and even Bryant has his ups and downs. Dexter Fowler has been streaky while Starlin Castro has been in a monthlong slump -- though catcher Miguel Montero has mostly given the team good at-bats. Social media has documented the struggles at the plate when Jon Lester starts as he (0-for-59) and his catcher David Ross (.162) don't exactly strike fear in the opposition. The other rookies, Jorge Soler and Addison Russell, are behaving exactly like talented rookies do: They have times of greatness at the plate and then look lost. Soler, in particular, is simply letting the big moments get to him. There's the good Soler who's hitting .277 overall with a .337 on-base percentage and then there's the Soler with runners in scoring position. His average plummets to .200 in those situations. With two outs it's even worse: He's hitting .105. "Baseball intelligence goes a long way," Theo Epstein said recently. "If you combine intelligence with self-confidence, even in the face of bad results, that's a great combination. A lot of our core players have those attributes." That describes Russell as he's been a sponge since making it to the big leagues at just 21 years old. Sometimes he'll look bad with a wild strikeout or two but then he'll come through as he did on Tuesday, winning the game with a two-out hit in the ninth. Russell continues to look like a star in the making. With Maddon fidgeting with different lineups and three rookies still finding their way, it's hard to do anything but sit back and watch the progress. Experience simply comes with time. "It's establishing the right atmosphere where players can relax, be themselves, understand it's OK to take risks, it's OK to fail," Epstein said. "Reinforce their self-confidence. How good they are, how hard the game is and keep moving forward. A big part of that is relaxing.

"You saw that with Addison. That first week he looked like he was trying not to make waves. Playing a little tight. He was a little robotic in the field. Then comes a point where every player takes a deep breath and relaxes and lets their natural ability come out." Starlin Castro makes the first of his two errors during Wednesday's loss to the Nationals. AP Photo/Paul Beaty The bullpen Now here's an area you can complain about. A simple question: Do you trust the Cubs' bullpen? It's hard to find one pitcher down there that is just lights-out every time his name is called. The Kansas City Royals bullpen has picked up where it left off last year sporting a 1.84 ERA going into Friday's game. The Cubs were supposed to have a mini version of that on their back end. It hasn't worked out. The Cubs have a bullpen ERA of 4.07. And remember, the Royals have to face a designated hitter on most nights while the Cubs have yet to play an interleague game on the road. Anyway, even Justin Grimm got touched for a key home run in the Nationals series. He's been their best option since coming back from injury. Those middle innings are simply going to be a work in progress, but what about the ninth? It was always doubtful Hector Rondon could repeat the year he had in 2014 when he saved 29 of 33 games and gave up just two home runs in 64 appearances. The Cubs can survive if the numbers aren't exactly the same, but when should they be concerned with his job? He's already given up two home runs in 21 games while blowing three save opportunities. "Some of the answers will come from within," Epstein said. "Some of the answers will come from outside the organization, converting some of the prospects we have to mature, more advanced solutions." Epstein didn't indicate if he meant offense or defense with that statement, but it's obvious the Cubs need pitching. General manager Jed Hoyer was more specific. "The biggest thing I think about, sort of day and night, is pitching depth," he said. He may not be the only one being kept up late watching the Cubs' bullpen. It's been a roller-coaster ride so far. Defense Similar to the offense, the Cubs' defense gets a little bit of a pass due to age. But as young as they are in the infield, Rizzo and Castro are still veterans. Rizzo has been fine but Castro has been shaky to say the least, especially after a good start to the season. As for Bryant and Russell, they're at the top of the leaderboard for errors at their respective positions, and remember neither started the season on the big league club. Again, Russell gets a major pass as you can see some of his struggles in learning a new position. But then he also has those special moments like when he dove in the outfield behind second base and threw out Ryan Zimmerman of the Nationals. Here's the simple truth: You don't worry about Russell on defense. Bryant is a different story as he's older and playing his natural position. There have been good moments, but seven errors in 37 games isn't going to cut it. The Cubs' current left side of the infield has made 18 miscues between them just 46 games into the season. The Cubs have the second-most errors in the NL despite playing the second-fewest games. Incredibly, it's cost them only three extra runs, but the real damage has been to the pitcher. The extra pitches have made a big difference, just as it did on Wednesday when Lester was stuck in an elongated inning after Russell threw a ball away. Having said all that, the Cubs are doing just fine at 25-21. They'll undoubtedly come out of their mini slump at the plate and get on a better run. But will it be enough? Can they hang with the Pirates and Cardinals throughout the summer when both those teams are firing on full cylinders? "The adjustment periods for our young guys have gone really well," Epstein stated. "It's great to be around. They're handling themselves on and off the field in a manner well beyond their years."

Despite the quick adjustments, time is still what the Cubs need. They should be given some. -- CSNChicago.com Cubs see Addison Russell taking a big step forward By Patrick Mooney Addison Russell spread his arms out wide before taking off his helmet and getting lifted up into his teammates’ arms. The Cubs jumped up and down at Wrigley Field, the mosh pit moving from second base into shallow center. The crowd roared after Russell blasted the game-winning double off Washington Nationals lefty reliever Matt Grace with two outs in the ninth inning on Tuesday night. It soared out into the gap in right-center field, past Washington centerfielder Denard Span, hitting the grass at the edge of the warning track, rolling into the ivy and bouncing off the brick wall for a 3-2 victory. “They’re at the top,” Russell said after beating the Nationals with his first walk-off hit at any level of professional baseball. “If we can compete with them, we can compete with anyone. There’s no doubt in my mind that we can compete with anyone. We just got to keep grinding it out.” The next night, Russell would commit a throwing error that helped create an unearned run the Cubs couldn’t afford to give up when Max Scherzer performs like a $210 million ace with a Cy Young Award on his resume. The Cubs lost 3-0 after splitting two one-run games with the National League’s most talented team on paper. The Cubs (25-21) are willing to live with the growing pains, knowing they need Russell if they want to make the huge leap you saw last year from the Kansas City Royals, who come into Wrigley Field this weekend as the American League’s defending champs. “You have to understand this guy just turned 21,” manager Joe Maddon said. “Most of the time, those guys are in Double-A, or even sometimes A-ball, and they’re making all these mistakes. They’re swinging at bad sliders in Davenport.” Maddon turned to the cameras in Wrigley Field’s interview room/dungeon and kept rolling: “Which I love Davenport, by the way. Or, say, Salinas, and I do love Salinas. That’s where you make these mistakes. But he’s making them here in front of everybody with cameras and the newspapers. “Understand, it’s not easy to fight through that at that age with that lack of experience. His mental toughness is really incredible to me, how he’s fought through all these kind of difficult moments for himself. He’s not used to failing. He’s always been the lead bull. “So as you’re watching him, specifically, and all of our guys blossom, understand where they’re at developmentally. Understand where a lot of guys that age and that experience level are. They’re not here. They’re in some obscure place without the spotlight on them learning their craft. He’s having to do it on the fly here. And he’s doing a great job.” A natural shortstop, Russell is learning how to play a new position in the big leagues, leading the team with four defensive runs saved, according to the online database at FanGraphs, while also leading all NL second basemen with seven errors. “He’s extremely talented,” pitcher Jake Arrieta said. “He’s got so much room to grow. And those are things that he’s going to have to go through – and we’re going to have to go through as a team – to get better.” Russell is also hitting .275 with three homers, eight doubles, eight RBI and a .788 OPS through 25 games in May. Maddon tries to relate to his players by remembering what he was doing at that age. (A fraternity party at Lafayette College would be a good guess.)

“Unbelievable,” pitcher Kyle Hendricks said. “He obviously is a talent at 21. God, there’s no chance I’d be doing that.” “I was in the minors,” pitcher Jason Hammel said. “I was down in the ditches, in the bushes, trying to make a name for myself. That’s what I was doing. I sure as hell wasn’t doing what he’s doing right now. “He’s 21 years old and he’s not just hanging in there. He’s creating himself a nice little niche.” Hammel had been a piece in last summer’s blockbuster Fourth of July trade with the Oakland A’s. The assumption was the Cubs would get a big-time pitching prospect back in the Jeff Samardzija deal, but Oakland general manager Billy Beane made president of baseball operations Theo Epstein an offer he couldn’t refuse by including Russell. “When he came up, his first week, he looked like he was just trying not to make waves, playing a little bit tight,” Epstein said. “His swing didn’t have its normal looseness and the bat speed that comes with it. He was a little robotic in the field. “There comes a point where every player sort of takes a deep breath and relaxes and lets their natural ability come out. You’ve seen more and more from him.” As much as Scott Boras loves ripping Cubs ownership, the super-agent also made a point to say how much his client has improved since getting traded from Oakland, crediting the organization’s coaches and player-development infrastructure. “I’ve come pretty far,” Russell said. “There’s still a long ways to go. I’m just trying to get better every day. Just trying to get my early work in, take more swings in the cage. Just keep up my routine and do all the small things that make me ‘me.’ “Each day, it just seems like the game is slowing down, and I want to continue and stay on that process.” Russell had 57 career at-bats on the Triple-A level before getting promoted in late April, and then he struck out 12 times in his first five games. He’s learning the angles at second base, the footwork that goes into turning a double play, getting more comfortable moving to his right. He’s diving, popping up and throwing to first base again, which he jokes is his signature move. Russell has been accountable, answering postgame questions at his locker, and he doesn’t draw attention to himself in the clubhouse. For someone who entered this season as Baseball America’s No. 3 overall prospect, Russell has managed to fly under the radar – thanks to Kris Bryant – and not believe all the hype. Whether it’s making highlight-reel plays, or errors on routine groundballs, Russell expects to be the same guy every day. That’s why the Cubs believe he’s one of their untouchable core players. “It just goes back to maturity,” Russell said. “You’re going to have those games where you do punch out three times, maybe four times. But tomorrow’s a new day. You got to come back with that whole new mindset.” -- CSNChicago.com Cubs prospect notes: Vogelbach, Alcantara and Pierce Johnson By Tony Andracki As The Plan comes to fruition in Chicago, it's easy for Cubs fans to wonder what - or who- is next. Kris Bryant and Addison Russell are already up. Javier Baez is back on track at Iowa. Carl Edwards Jr. (formerly C.J. Edwards) is adjusting well to his new bullpen role with a 2.66 ERA and 13.7 K/9.

Joe Maddon already said Kyle Schwarber - who is posting a 1.020 OPS in 42 games at Double-A this season - could be a bat that helps the Cubs late in 2015. But what about Dan Vogelbach? Pierce Johnson? Arismendy Alcantara? All three guys have made a name for themselves as under-the-radar prospects in the Cubs system. Vogelbach is enjoying a breakout season with Double-A Tennessee, creating a bash brothers duo with Schwarber at the plate. Vogelbach, 22, has posted a .320/.436/.497 slash line entering play Thursday, with a whopping 32 walks and only 38 strikeouts in 43 games. He also has 17 extra-base hits (12 doubles, one triple, four homers), 24 RBI and 21 runs. The bat has never really been the problem for Vogelbach, who has an .865 OPS across his minor-league career since being taken in the second round of the 2011 MLB Draft (just after the Cubs selected Baez). Vogelbach is listed at 6-foot, 250 pounds and with Anthony Rizzo locked up through at least 2019 at first base in Chicago, some wonder if Vogelbach could move to the outfield. Cubs senior vice president of scouting and player development Jason McLeod shut that down Wednesday at Wrigley Field. "With the mobility and only being a first baseman, we're not considering [a switch to the outfield] at this time," Jason McLeod said. "He's another kid who's had a phenomenal start to the season these first two months. "Our plan is to leave him where he is, doing what he's doing right now." The same can be said for Pierce Johnson, the injured right-hander considered to be one of the Cubs' Top 2 or 3 pitching prospects in the system. Johnson, 24, was shut down in spring training with a strained lat muscle and still has yet to report to a minor-league team while the Cubs try to get his back to cooperate. McLeod said the Cubs are aiming for the first week of June for Johnson to rejoin Double-A Tennessee. "He's been throwing down in extended spring training," McLeod said. "It's been a longer process than we had hoped with lower back soreness. But knock on wood right now, he'll be out early June." Johnson has had trouble staying healthy since the Cubs took him in the supplemental first round of the Draft in 2012. He has only appeared in 49 games (46 starts) in his four pro seasons, tossing a combined 232 innings. Johnson has had success when he has been on the mound, with a 16-11 record, 2.68 ERA and 9.2 K/9 throughout his career. Like Edwards, he could have been an option for a bullpen boost in Chicago late this season before the back injury erased the first two months of the campaign. Alcantara began the season in Chicago, but had just one hit in 26 at-bats and was sent back down to Triple-A Iowa to right the ship. That's exactly what he's been doing lately, with a .333 average and .973 OPS the last 10 games, including seven runs, two homers, five walks and a pair of stolen bases. The 23-year-old has lived up to his versatility again, moving all over the diamond with games at second, short, third, left field and center field for Iowa.

There may not be a chance for everyday playing time in the big leagues (especially depending on Baez's situation), but the Cubs view Alcantara as another guy who could provide a boost late in the season serving in a utility role. "I think 'Mendy' is a guy, with his twitchiness and his athleticism, who can move around," McLeod said. "I think with him, coming up here last year, probably not expecting to be up here on a major-league team, I think it was a whirlwind for him. Certainly an eye-opening experience." "Probably his confidence [suffered]; he was probably doubting himself a little bit. That's really what we're working with him on - believe in yourself, believe in your talent. And I think he'll come back up here later on." -- Chicago Tribune Cubs patiently waiting, searching for trade opportunities By Mark Gonzales Theo Epstein's relentless pursuit of upgrading the Cubs' roster continues. The process started well before the Cubs acquired reliever Yoervis Medina from the Mariners less than two weeks ago and will continue after two of the Phillies' top evaluators complete current assessments. Judging from the fact nine teams sent many of their top scouts to the Cubs-Diamondbacks series last weekend, interested teams aren't going to wait until the July 31 trade deadline to make deals. "There's no reason to wait if there's a deal that fits for both sides," one veteran scout said Wednesday. Furthermore, the Cubs showed last July 5 with the Jeff Samardzija trade and on May 19 with the Medina deal for catcher Welington Castillo that they will make a move when they believe the time is right, regardless of the deadline and the players who may become available later when their teams slip from playoff contention. The process continued this week, as several player-development officials and scouts visited the Cubs' offices to discuss player evaluations, who is close to untouchable and who could be expendable. The Cubs, with a surplus of middle infielders at the upper levels and outfielders at the middle and lower levels, have the resources to pull off a major trade. But they simply could wait to monitor the progress of infielders Javier Baez and Arismendy Alcantara (whom player development director Jaron Madison watched last week), sign a marquee pitcher in free agency and address needs through trades with a larger pool of interested teams in the offseason. "We recognize part of the benefit of having a deep farm system is to make moves, to improve your big-league team during any relevant season," President Theo Epstein said. "If you're competitive and have a chance to play in the postseason, that makes it very relevant. "We understand that and constantly are looking to get better. Some answers will come from within, through good player development and through young talent acquisition. Some answers will come from outside the organization, converting some of the prospects into more mature, more advanced solutions. It's part of the daily landscape." Three scouts who watched the Cubs over the last week believe that a starting pitching upgrade would help them but improvements in the bullpen and left field are more urgent. Nevertheless, manager Joe Maddon is pleased with the work of left fielder Chris Coghlan, who has hit two of his seven home runs off All-Stars James Shields and Craig Kimbrel. The Cubs could take another shot at left-hander Cole Hamels of the prospect-starved Phillies. Hamels, 31, is owed about $90 million through 2018, and he would provide cost certainty. But that would come at the price of several prospects.

"We have some needs, so you don't ignore that," Epstein said. "You keep that in mind. But you can't go out and unilaterally add. There's a rhythm and flow. "It's not the type of thing you barge the door down. You can't do that. It's not the dynamic. It never has been. You have to work hard and prepare and be ready to capitalize on opportunities when they present themselves." -- Chicago Tribune Dan Vogelbach showing strength at plate, needs home in field By Mark Gonzales Dan Vogelbach hopes his hitting will find him a home somewhere. Dan Vogelbach's holding pattern isn't limited to his placement Wednesday on the seven-day disabled list at Double-A Tennessee. There are no plans to move Vogelbach from first base, a position Anthony Rizzo currently occupies at the major-league level. Rizzo is having a National League All-Star caliber start and is signed through at least 2019. "We're not considering (a move to the outfield) at this time," said Jason McLeod, the Cubs' player development and scouting chief. "He's another having a phenomenal start over these first two months, and the plan is just to leave him where he is and let him do what he's doing." As soon as Vogelbach returns, he will be content to hit and let his strengths dictate where he ends up. "I don't know what the future is," Vogelbach said Wednesday, shortly before he was placed on the DL because of a hamstring injury. "I can control what I do on the field." Vogelbach, 22, is one of the most productive hitters in the Cubs' organization. He is batting .320 with four home runs, 24 RBIs and a .436 on-base percentage. Of more importance, he has closely followed the script that player development officials have stressed. "This year I've taken what pitchers have given me late in the count," the 6-foot, 250-pounder said. "I look for my pitch to hit. If I don't get it, I'm not going to bite. It has been paying off so far." Vogelbach already has drawn 32 walks as he and Kyle Schwarber have provided the Smokies with a pair of formidable left-handed hitters. Vogelbach, a second-round pick in the 2011 draft, was drafted before the arrival of President Theo Epstein. As long as there are no plans to move him, Vogelbach intends to be the best he can be at first base. "I'm getting better every day," Vogelbach said. "A lot better." Extra innings: McLeod has raved about the play of Wilson Contreras, who has split the catching duties with Schwarber at Tennessee. Contreras, 23, is batting .370 (10-for-27) with eight RBIs during a seven-game hitting streak. … Duane Underwood Jr. is 3-0 with a 1.57 ERA in four starts in May for Class A Myrtle Beach. Underwood, 20, has limited opponents to a .200 batting average this month. -- Chicago Tribune ESPN picks up Reds-Cubs June 14 game By Mark Gonzales

The Chicago Cubs continue to seize the spotlight. ESPN has selected the June 14 game between the Cincinnati Reds and Cubs as an exclusive national telecast. The time of the game, originally listed as to be announced, will start at 7:08 p.m. Thursday, ESPN elected to televise the Cubs' June 28 game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium. --